Toaster



Oct. 8,- 1929.

M. F. WILSON roAs'rzn Filed lay 1, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet AT ORNEY Oct. 8, 1929. M. F. WILSON 1,731,118

TOASTER Filed lay l, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 v :24 1 as 4* 4f. 2 g 12:5 2

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 8, 19 29 HEBBIGK FBARY WILSON, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS TOASTEB Application filed May 1,

This invention relates to toasters, and more particularly to electric toasters.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a toaster of the character stated of 5 simple and inexpensive construction and operation. A further object is to provide a toaster which can be readily cleaned so as to remove all crumbs and similar material.

Another object is to provide a toaster by 10 means of which toast of any desired degree of hardness or softness can be readily produced. Further ob ects will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings:

Figure '1 is a front view of the toaster,

Figure 2 isa side view,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side view showing the cover closed to a greater extent than inFigures 1 and 2,

20 Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through the toaster,

Figure 5 is a section taken substantially on line 5-5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a vertical central transverse section through the toaster,

Figure 7 is a detail, partly broken away, of one corner of the resistance element supportingframe, and

Figure 8 is a plan view of the resistance ele- 30 ment supporting frame.

The toaster includes an outer casing l formed of sheet metal or other suitable material and having a bottom or base 2. This casing is further provided with a false bottom 3 which forms with the main bottom 2 a compartment for reception of a tray or drawer 4t slidably mounted in the lower portion of casing 1 and fitting snugly therein. When in its innermost position the tray 4 is disposed to close the ends of the tray-receiving compartment by means of the end walls 4 and 4 of the tray which correspond in height to the distance between bottom 2 and false bottom 3. Inward movement of the tray beyond this position is prevented by a stop flange 2 extending from the base or bottom 2.

Casing 1 is provided with a refractory lining 5 provided through its bottom wall with openings 6 which register with slots 7 through false bottom 3, these slots extending to within 1926; Serial No. 106,089.

a short distance of each end of the false bot tom. A supporting frame 8 is mounted within casing 1 and is supported by uprights 9 which extend from the bottom of the refractory lining. These uprights are connected by end bars 10 of the frame 8, the end bars being provided at each end thereof with re cesses which receive dowel pins 11 at the upper ends of the uprights. Side bars 12 and a center bar 13 of the frame 8 are secured to end bars 10 by screws 14, or in any other suitable or preferred manner. The bars 12 and 13 are provided with depending hooks 15 which cooperate with similar hooks 16 secured to the bottom of the refractory lining for supporting the resistance element 17 of known type. The ends of this element are connected to terminal members 18- which are mounted on one side of the casing 1 and electrically insulated therefrom, these terminal members being adapted to receive a socket member of known type by means of which the resistance element 17 is connected into an electrical circuit. Guide rods 19 extend upwardly from the bottom of the casing, these rods being positioned adjacent the inner faces of-the outer portions of the resistance 17 and adjacent both faces of the central portion of this resistance element and providing means for guiding slices of bread during insertion of the same into the toaster while preventing their direct contact with the resistance ele' ment A bread supporting structure is mounted for vertical movement within casing 1 and includes a rectangular frame 20 formed of front and back strips 21 connected at one end by a U-shaped end frame 22 secured to the strip 21, and the terminal arms of frame 22 serving as guide elements for the supportingv structure during 'movement of the same. Strips 21 are connected at their other ends by a horizontally disposed U-shaped end frame 23, the terminal arms of which are secured to the strips 21. Vertically extending guide members 24 are secured to the strips 21 and coact with the terminal arms of frame 22 to guide the supporting structure during movement of the same in the casing. The frames 22 and 23 are connected by a support mg strip 24 secured thereto the. central portion of which is cut out to provide an opening 25 which accommodates the central portion of the resistance element 17. Front strip 21 is connected by a link 26 to an arm 27 which is secured on the innerend of a stub shaft 28 extendingfrom a knob 29, which is rotatably mounted throu h the front wall of the casing. This knob may be of any suitable or preferred construction but preferably includes a neck 30 formed of metal and provided with openings to dissipate the heat. A head 31 of wood or other suitable material which does not readily conduct heat is securedin the outer end of neck 30. When the knob is in its normal position with arm 27 directed downwardly and disposed in vertical position, the bread supportin structure is disposed a short distance above false bottom 3 so as to permit ready entry of air throughthe openings 6 and slots 7 when the tray 4 is moved into open position.

Supporting strip 24 is provided at the end thereof adjacent frame 23 with a vertically disposed arm 32 which is secured to and extends above frame 23. This arm is connected I at its upper end by a pin andslot connection 33 to an arm 34 which is pivotally secured at its upper end at 35 to a bracket 36 secured to the under face of a closure member or cover 37 constructed similarly to casing 1 andhingedly secured thereto at the back of the casing by suitable hinges 38. The slot 39 in arm 34 is of such length that when the tray supporting structure is raised a slight distance above its normal position pin 40 of arm 32 will contact with arm 34 at upper end of slot 39 thus raising cover 37 as the bread supporting structure and the toast supported thereby are moved into raised position. Turning of knob 29 in raising position is limited by a stop pin 41 projecting inwardly from the front wall of the casing, this pin being so disposed that the pivotal connection 42 between link 26 and arm 27 is positioned slightly beyond center when arm 27 contacts with pin 40. This insures that the bread supporting structure will be held in raised position when the knob is released. I

In using the toaster a current of air can be caused to flow upwardly through the slots and openings at the bottom of the casing and outwardly through the top of the casing. During this upward flow through the casing this air passes over the slices of bread and serves to extract therefrom the larger portion of the moisture --of the bread thus producing a dry, hard toast. The degree of hardness and dryness of the toast can be varied within wide limits to suit the taste or preference of the individual by regulating the amount of air which flows through the casing. When the tray 4 is moved into full closed position and the cover 37 is in full closed position there will be no flow of air through the casing anda soft moist toast will be produced. It is also to be noted that when thetoaster is used in this manner, the heat from the element 17 is conserved to the fullest extent so that the bread is quickly toasted. To produce a toast 43 which is pivotally secured at its upper end at 44 to a bracket 45 secured to the inner face of cover 37. This rack bar operates through a slot 46 through the frontwall of the casing, the teeth 47 of the bar being disposed for engagement with a plate 48 secured on the outer face of the front wall of the casing. By means of the plate and the rack bar the extent to which the cover is opened can be varied Within a wide range,'. and by means of the tray 4 the amount of air which is admitted to the bottom of the casing can be varied within very wide limits. As the moisture content and hardness of the toast produced will depend largely on the amount of air which flows upwardly through the casing over and about the bread being toasted, the cover and the tray, and the means for adjusting the cover provide very simple and efficient means whereby toast of any desired degree of hardness or softness can be readily produced. The tray 4 also performs an additional function in that it provides means whereby crumbs from the bread and toast can be readily discharged into the tray through the openings 6 and slots 7 and then removed from the casing by means of the tray. This feature is of practical advantage in that it greatly facilitates cleaning of the toaster and insures maximum efficiency in operation. To facilitate use of the toaster for producing toast of maximum softness and moisture content I provide a shield or guard 49 which is pivoted at its lower end at 50 to the front wall of the casing.

The upper portion of this guard is rounded at 51 to extend over the upper edge of plate 48 when guard 49 is in operative position. With the guard in this position the teeth 47 of rack bar 43 will ride over the rounded portion 51 of member 49 permitting ready sliding movement of the rack bar through slot 46. By this arrangement the cover can be turned into open position to permit removal of the toast and, after the toaster has been recharged with slices of bread, the cover will move into closed position by gravity as the:-. ;;1;iead supporting structure is lowered into operative position within'the casings In this connection it is to be noted that the relation between arm 34 and pin 40 is such that the cover 37 is disposed at aslight inclination forwardly of the casing when the bread-supporting structure is in full raised position. In Figures 1 and'2 I have illustrated thecover in this position.

and

While I have illustrated the toaster of a size sutficient to accommodate two slices of bread of ordinary size, the toaster can be built of any capacity desired.

As Will be understood, changes in details of construction and arrangement of parts of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the field and scope of the same, and I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims, in this application in which the preferred form only of my invention is disclosed.

What I claim is:

1. In an electrical toaster, a casing, resistance elements within the casing and disposed to accommodate slices of bread to be toasted. a bread supporting structure having vertical movement within the casing, a closure member for the upper end of the casing, means for raising and lowering said structure, connections between said closure member and the bread supporting structure for opening the former in accordance with raising of thelatter, said connections permitting closing of the closure member when the bread supporting structure is lowered into operative position and also permitting movement of the closure member in opening position independently of said structure, and adjustable means for holding the closure member in eifiher full or partially open position option a v.

2. In an electrical toaster, a casing, resistance elements within the casing and disposed to accommodate slices of bread to be toasted, a bread supporting structure having vertical movement within the casing, a closure member for the upper end of the casing, means for raising and lowering said structure, connections between said closure member and the bread supporting structure for opening the former in accordance with raising of the latter, said connections permitting closing of the closure member when the bread supporting structure is lowered into operative position and also permitting movement of the closure member in opening position independently of said structure, adjustable means for holding the closure member in either full or partially open position optionally, and means for rendering said holding means inoperative to permit closing of the closure member simultaneously with lowering of the bread supporting structure.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

MERRICK FRARY WILSON. 

